Juan Manuel Marquez's Next Fight: Marquez Wants a Lefty, But Everyone Wants Marquez

Following his show-stealing win last night in Las Vegas, "Mile High" Mike Alvarado feels he should be the opponent in July at Cowboys Stadium for Juan Manuel Marquez, and not original plan Brandon Rios. From BoxingScene.com:

"I'm the one that deserves that fight. That's what I do, I come and steal the shows. I'm undefeated in the ring and I'm undefeated on the scale....I'm disciplined and I'm ready. I put on exciting shows. Why wouldn't they want me to step up and take that? I put on way better shows. I believe I should get that shot. I would be a way better opponent for him. I would be more of a man for that fight."

Alvarado (33-0, 23 KO) certainly came out of the weekend with more respect than the also still-unbeaten Rios, whose win over Richard Abril was highly disputed, to put it nicely.

Marquez told notifight.com (via BoxingScene.com) that he wants a lefty on July 14, though, which would count out both Alvarado and Rios. Last night, Marquez took a pretty routine 12-round decision over Serhiy Fedchenko.

"I hope to get news about a fourth fight with Manny Pacquiao, sooner than later. I'll go against a lefty on July 14 in Texas."

That could mean that Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KO) might face another of last night's PPV winners, Mercito Gesta. The word going around is that's the fight JMM wants, and if Top Rank has decided to abandon the Rios plans, and Marquez wants a southpaw, Gesta could fit the bill. It might depend, I suppose, on how much faith has in Gesta's future. Gesta stopped Oscar Cuero in eight last night, but it wasn't really all that impressive.

The 24-year-old prospect doesn't seem to me to have a high ceiling, but their matchmakers are smarter than me in that regard. If they feel there's nothing big to lose by possibly sacrificing Gesta (25-0-1, 13 KO), then the fight could work as a preliminary to Pacquiao this fall.